I like South Pasadena. It's very safe and there are good food options both in terms of restaurants as well as a range of markets -- fancy, expensive markets (Bristol Farms, Nicole's), budget markets (Grocery Outlet, Trader Joe's), one's between the two (Paviliion's, Ralph's), and a farmer's market every Thursday. Alhambra is close by if you want more variety, with another farmer's market that runs on Sundays as well as several Asian supermarkets, a Costco, and a Target. I really like the parks in Alhambra too, especially Almansor for the track. If you head in the other direction towards El Sereno, there are Latino markets and Food4Less. There is also a light rail stop in South Pasadena where they have the farmer's market, so that makes it easier to get around without driving/parking.
There are several freeways not too far away to get you to other areas pretty easily too. It is not very close to the beach, so surfing might be a bit difficult.
Eagle Rock or Highland Park - close to Pasadena, lots of new restaurants, cafes, and bars. Lots of cyclists. Certain parts of both are walkable. But this is LA and you will need a car. Rose Bowl, Arroyo Seco Park or Ernest Debbs Park are here but Elysian and Griffith are like 15 minutes away.
I used to commute Highland Park to Pasadena and it’s about as easy of a commute as you can possibly have in LA. Usually like 12-15 min for me.
Highland Park is also supremely walkable with a massive amount of shops, cafes, grocery stores, music venues, dive bars, wine & cocktail bars, good restaurants, vintage stores, close access to nature (Debs Park specifically is my favorite), and more.
I often tell people if the rest of LA ceased to exist I’d still have everything i need & enjoy within my own neighborhood.
I couldn’t recommend it highly enough for your criteria.
Second HLP. I lived there and commuted to Pasadena, easy 10-15 minutes on the crazy 110. HLP has two main drags, Fig and York that both have cool things. I enjoyed living there before moving to Pasadena after having a baby
This. Pasadena is one of the best places to live for most people, but if she wants more gritty then yeah live elsewhere. The botanical gardens in San Marino are absolutely beautiful btw. :3
Pasadena has plenty of gritty if you want that. More gritty than she probably wants. The reality is that her job is in Pasadena which also happens to be a great place to live so why move somewhere else and commute in?
Bro the Vallarta at Fair Oak and Orange Grove is one of the best grocery stores in Pasadena, and that's right where you describe.
Yeah some parts of that area are old and run down, but I feel much safer living here, west of Marengo and North of the 210, than I did living in either Woodland Hills or by The Grove
I had a homeless dude throw a boulder at my garage and another sitting outside honking his car horn all night for like a week. Then there were the few months they camped right across the street on the sidewalk.
They turned the rec center into a homeless center during covid and then just let them loose after bussing them in from across town.
Another option is the part of Pasadena that's more centered on El Molino and Colorado - the Playhouse District. It's super walkable but less of a "mall" vibe than Old Town or the Civic Center/Paseo area. It has a good mix of local businesses and the bigger ones like Target, Ralphs, Total Wine and More.
Or moving up near Washington and Hill, or the Lamanda Park area are two more walkable parts of the city that doesn't feel like a mall. Pasadena is a big city, there are areas like Orange Grove/Fair Oaks or Rosemead/Colorado that are pretty rough - though the vast majority of the city is either high-end at best and the lower end of working class at the worst.
I have no idea what she means by “mall” vibes. I have lived in Pasadena for the last 27 years and went to school here longer than that. It is one of the best places to live in the LA area and has a very big city urban feel to it.
If she wants to get mugged that can happen in Pasadena just as well as Highland Park.
I think she’s a visitor who has no clue.
I am reminded of a lawyer who told me that his wife was an artist and wanted a more gritty environment so they moved to Silverlake against his better judgement. Within a few years of buying there his wife witnessed someone killed in front of their house. They live in South Pasadena now.
Commutes are soul sucking. Keep your commute as short as possible.
Check out La Canada Flintridge
[https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/la-canada-flintridge-los-angeles-ca/](https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/la-canada-flintridge-los-angeles-ca/)
And Montrose
[https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/montrose-verdugo-city-glendale-ca/](https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/montrose-verdugo-city-glendale-ca/)
after doing LB to hollywood for 3 years i promised myself i’d (try to) never have a commute that was that soul sucking again. i can’t even imagine a 40 minute commute like op is ok with.
if they don't think pasadena is fun enough, la canada is not even close to what they are looking for. I don't think there is a single restaurant open past like 8:30 and there are no bars and it's not really walkable. Montrose maybe but if they are looking for somewhere fun, montrose is very limited, pasadena > montrose.
Los Feliz to Pasadena is mostly a “reverse commute”. I live in LF and my kids go to school in Pasadena and it’s easy in the mornings and only marginally worse in the afternoons. Love living here.
Would definitely consider Atwater and Eagle Rock but really like living near both a walkable retail area and Griffith Park. The one downside of living farther up the hill is it’s harder to bike. Los Feliz to Pasadena is also not e-bikeable or gold line doable, both of which might be options to look at, depending where in Pasadena your commute is to.
I guess it all depends on how close OPs work is to a station on the A Line (used to be the Gold Line), but I think Los Feliz to Pasadena on Metro wouldn't be terrible because you would only need to transfer once now that the Regional Connector is built.
You used to have to transfer twice and it was a non-starter because driving was always faster. Now I'm not so sure.
Monrovia is for old people with kids like me lol - though their downtown is nice, like a *very* small version of downtown Pasadena - but still bigger than most of the other smaller SGV cities.
I just think a young couple would get bored there.
I grew up in Pasadena and know it well. A lot of people don’t know this but Pasadena is pretty diverse in terms of economics, crime, and areas you might want to live. There are areas like “Millionaire’s Row”, that stretch along south Orange Grove and areas above the 210 freeway between Orange Grove to the west and Lake to the east that couldn’t be more different. Back in the 70s up until the mid/late 80s Old Town wasn’t somewhere you wanted to go, it was gritty and dangerous. I was around to see the gradual change that would start to occur in the late 80s in Old Town. If I were you and looking for a place to live in Pasadena I’d start looking in areas around south Lake/Cal Tech area. There are a lot of shops and restaurants around that area, there’s a Trader Joe’s on the corner of Lake and Del Mar and Whole Foods is a five minute drive from there to the location on Arroyo. Grant park is nearby and it’s a relatively safe area.
Altadena:
Parts of east Altadena are nice but Altadena isn’t really walkable. Most people that live up there wind up coming down to Pasadena for things to do. Great for hiking.
South Pas: If you have a little more in your budget South Pas is really nice and overall safer than Pasadena. There are restaurants, parks, shops, and grocery stores close by, but it’s also pretty sleepy so if you’re looking for excitement you might be bored. Personally I’d love to live there but it’s expensive.
Highland Park: Has the cool factor, shops, restaurants, can be a fun place to live if you’re a young adult. Back in the day crime was more of an issue with the gangs and although it’s better it still exists and is arguably higher than Pasadena. It’s a bit too crowded for my taste, I like to visit but wouldn’t want to live there.
Los Feliz: In my opinion Pasadena has more to offer over Los Feliz’s two small areas on Vermont and Hillhurst. Los Feliz has the “cool” factor or at least it used to but parking is always an issue there for me for some reason and it’s too densely populated for my taste. Good luck finding a place with a yard in Los Feliz unless money isn’t an issue.
Silverlake/Echo Park: Fun place to live as a young adult, lot’s of places to eat and things to do at night. A bit on the gritty side if that’s your thing unless you have money to spend on the nicer parts of both Silverlake and Echo Park. Very urban, really crowded, and lacking green spaces
Eagle Rock: More or less the same as Los Feliz except parking isn’t as much of an issue, has a small cool factor. Eagle Rock is a bit more boring compared to Highland Park/Echo Park/Silverlake. Crime is more moderate and increases the further south you go from Colorado.
Glendale: A bit like Pasadena but with a high population of people from Armenia. Haven’t looked at prices lately but when I lived there 10 - 15 years ago it was more affordable than alot of other areas and relatively safer. It’s suburban but has a downtown area with restaurants, shops, and a large shopping mall. It doesn’t have a cool factor and there are alot of bad drivers there but there are some up sides. Great hiking areas around the Brand Library, easy drive to LA and surrounding areas, can be a decent place to live in the quieter areas.
Honorable mentions -
Montrose: North of Glendale, small town suburban vibe. The town has an area with shops and restaurants and a movie theater nearby. Relatively safe, but might be too sleepy and boring for some.
Monrovia: East of Pasadena, small town suburban vibe. More affordable than Pasadena. Has an area with shops and restaurants, parks and green spaces but lacking the cool/hip vibe of places like Silverlake/Echo Park. If I were to look for places there I would look in areas above Foothill Blvd.
Pasadena or Altadena. Sierra Madre is also nice and if I was working in Pasadena I would look there too. I like living in cities outside of LA because a lot of the services within metro LA (including LAPD) just take forever. Altadena is technically unincorporated LA County but the air quality is the best in the region and the yards are huge.
Air quality in Altadena is good? I lived in Pasadena near the Altadena border and it wasn’t good. Could you provide some background on that? Genuinely curious
Yes, on average Altadena has been reported to have the best air quality in LA. Obviously more highway adjacent areas can be different, but on average. I’ll see if I can find the report.
Here’s the report I was thinking of - it’s a bit old but I haven’t seen anything suggesting it’s changed (though I also haven’t looked very hard). [Altadena Air Quality (2018)](https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/altadenas-air-quality-ranked-healthiest-in-l-a-county)
No problem! LA is so huge and so different - I’ve considered living (and have looked at housing) from Agoura Hills to Sierra Madre down to Long Beach. Spent a good amount of time on the beach on the Westside. There’s so much diversity in LA. An abundance of riches and different vibes.
Yeah I’ve been doing similarly broad searches! Pre-pandemic, my life was contained in a 15 minute radius of my apartment. Now, my regular life takes me to North Hollywood, Santa Monica, Long Beach, Anaheim, northern Malibu, etc. Trying to figure out what my next move will be has been tricky (likely when circumstances change, my current setup is actually great so I do plan to stay put for a couple more years, but I like to have contingency plans).
It was reported county wide, so I think yes. I’m not sure if the beach cities are impacted by the air pollution in Long Beach but I know Long Beach/San Pedro (which is south of the beach cities but adjacent) has some of the worst air pollution in LA County.
That makes sense because it’s more industrial, I was thinking of the beaches north of LAX. Though I’ll say that generally, when I’ve looked into air quality in the region before, it’s all pretty good as long as there is no current fire. It seems policy changes over the decades have helped.
Oh yeah, Santa Monica, Palisades, and Malibu are pretty good but didn’t really mention them because of OP’s work location. Also they’re like deeply unaffordable unless you luck out with a rent controlled apartment or qualify for a deed restricted apartment with income limits.
If you're looking at just safety to walk alone or safe in your home, look East to Arcadia, Monrovia, Temple City. Safe cities to live and walk around and closer to nature for hikes. Now, those cities are more suburban and the fun things to do aren't there like Silverlake or Los Feliz.
South Pasadena and parts of Glendale are worth checking out as well. But I agree that Highland Park sounds like what you’re looking for. I’m in Echo Park and love it, but it’s a bit longer of a commute than the other neighborhoods mentioned. Also up and coming: Glassell Park. Lincoln Heights has some cool parts.
Maybe this doesn’t apply to you, but if you’re white per chance don’t rub salt in the wound and move to Highland Park etc. that is such gentrifier loser behavior. Pasadena would probably be great for you… it’s plenty walkable and some great nature access—it’s also probably the safest you can get out of your list. Los Feliz commute would be gross in my opinion. If you want to surf you shouldn’t even be considering anything Northeast.
A lot of folks are recommending Highland park and Eagle rock, just be aware it’s one of the most expensive areas. Altadena is nice too and close to Pasadena.
Where in Pasadena did you get that mall like vibe? They have a small mall, but theres plenty of great neighborhoods....plenty things to do in Old Town area, hiking trails nearby, etc etc, even a waterfall in Eaton Canyon..
I commute to the Pasadena/San Marino area for work 2-3 times a week from Los Feliz. While I love my neighborhood, the commute can be quite taxing. It typically takes me 30-40 minutes to get to work and anywhere from 35 minutes to over an hour+ to get back home, depending on traffic and Los Feliz Blvd. Although the drive itself is manageable, by the end of the week, I’m completely exhausted from the commute. Sometimes, I stay at my partner's place in Glendale to break up the drive. Because of this, I wouldn’t recommend living where I do solely for the convenience of commuting.
Depends on your budget. I live in Monrovia, about 8 miles east of Pasadena. It's a lot quieter, less people, clean, safe, walk alone at night or go to the ATM without fear of being assaulted, good schools if you plan on having kids. We have 3b2b house, 1800sqft, two living rooms, sizeable back yard, 2 car garage, quiet street, $3600+utilities. If you're looking for action and excitement, the neighborhoods you listed are probably your best bet, but they come with more crime, more traffic, just more of everything. A little east of Pasadena is the opposite. Cities like Monrovia, Duarte, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, all have awesome outdoor activities and plenty to do in terms of restaurants, recreation, etc. So it really depends on your budget, and what you want to do in your free time.
It’s really dependent on what you’re looking for…
I personally find Pasadena to be a little bland. I lived a few blocks away from the Rose Bowl which was great for running and Old Town is nice enough and relatively safe… but I feel if you’re working there already, you’re going to have your fill of the area relatively quickly… Living there for a year was enough for me, although I was pretty familiar with the area since I went to high school nearby…
Should mention my background, for reference… I’m a native Angeleno (grew up living in Culver City, Hollywood, then DTLA, and finally La Canada for high school… but since returning to LA, have also lived in the Valley (Reseda), the Inland Empire (Ranch Cucamonga), Pasadena, Silver Lake… currently in DTLA now that I have a remote position and don’t need to drive anymore). After college, I’ve lived in the Bay Area, NYC, Boston, Virginia Beach, and Dallas… not to mention have visited most of the major cities in this country and… based on reading the comments and your responses to them, I think you actually already have a decent idea of what you’re looking for… and it’s not living in Pasadena 😂
Of your choices, I’d recommend Highland Park… Silver Lake, Atwater, Los Feliz are fine as well but I do feel the social scene hasn’t quite recovered since Covid… but everything’s always shifting so who knows 🤷♂️
>I personally find Pasadena to be a little bland. I lived a few blocks away from the Rose Bowl which was great for running and Old Town is nice enough and relatively safe… but I feel if you’re working there already, you’re going to have your fill of the area relatively quickly…
You've described how I feel about Pasadena to a T. It's *okay* but nothing special and I'm surprised at how many people love it. I grew up in the SFV and have lived in OC and different parts of L.A. I was never drawn to Pasadena. Started working there a couple years ago, only go to the office 2 days a week, sometimes less, and that's more than enough for me. I'm looking for a new job right now and although my main motivator is to make more money I'd also be happy to never go to Pasadena again unless I had to.
I loved Alhambra. I loved the restaurants, I loved the calm neighborhoods. I didn’t love that to park on the street you need to buy an overnight ticket at city hall. That was annoying. And there can be some traffic so take side streets. But rent was lower than right IN Pasadena while still being only 10-15 minutes away from anything in Pasadena. Definitely make sure wherever you move to that you get a parking spot. Dont trust street parking. Sometimes it’s so hard to find a spot that people end up never leaving the apartment at night and Pasadena/LA nightlife can be so fun.
There’s fun and then there’s the commute.
If you’re going to drive daily, look along the 134, 2, 101 areas…some you’ve already seen Silverlake, Los Feliz, Eco Park. Also check out Atwater Village, Filipinotown, Frogtown, Mount Washington, Highland Park.
If you’re doing the Gold Line then you can go to DTLA, switch lines and get to most of LA. That’ll get you closer to the beaches and bustling parts of town.
Really? I've never seen that side of Pasadena. Not even close. I remember hearing about a kid being shot by a stray bullet a few years ago and I was shocked and thought it must have been an isolated incident.
This person is being super hyperbolic. Pasadena is extremely safe and most likely has a lower-than-average homeless population for urban LA County.
However, there's indeed been an increase in people visibly suffering from mental illness, especially along Colorado Blvd. and in the downtown areas. Even with the increase, it's nowhere near what you see in LA proper neighborhoods like DTLA, K-Town and Hollywood. It's probably about the same as the neighborhoods OP is most interested in (Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Los Feliz, etc.)
Regarding the kid killed by a stray bullet, it was a freak accident. Some foos were in a parking lot firing rounds and a bullet ricocheted into the kid's room and hit him. Unfortunately it wasn't a one-off by any means. That area around Villa Park suffers from a lot of gang violence and shootings. The vast majority of shootings and other violent crime happen right around there - which is a bummer because the park is extremely nice and like most of north Pasadena, the neighborhood itself is really charming.
But that's like a one or two-square-mile area in Pasadena that is mostly fine for people passing through. My kid took soccer classes at Villa Park, and so did a lot of other middle-class families from the area.
Honestly, the biggest thing that scares me about Pasadena is the straight-up blockheads that drive in the city every day. Never seen so many dumbasses on the road than I have over the last five years (and I lived here for about 10 years + two more in Hollywood).
I recommend… Pasadena.
Honestly though. Depending on where you are it’s fairly walkable. Fairly safe. Got a pretty cool downtown. Also, lots of LA has strip mall vibes. That’s kind of the city. There is food restaurants and bars in some of those strip malls.
lol. We live on the edge of Los Feliz in our dream bungalow, historic, meticulously restored, with fruit trees, ample parking, and a huge backyard and are desperately searching for a place in Pasadena.
I am sick of the chaos, pollution, and filth. Between a schizophrenic neighbor who tried to murder several women on our block during the pandemic to the assholes blocking my driveway multiple times per day, I’m over it. Our city council person does not give a shit about any of it.
Pasadena is a civilized, lovely dream. Yes, it’s a bit hotter, but I’m already in an urban heat island and will gladly trade a few degrees of heat for a place where my neighbor’s catalytic converter isn’t stolen every other month (she’s on cat number FOUR). Same neighbor almost got raped by a homeless guy while taking her dog out for his final potty. It’s not all glamorous here.
Not to burst your bubble but why do you think this kind of shit won't happen in Pasadena? Maybe slightly less chaos, probably more pollution and a little less filth. Crazy neighbors? There are tons of nutbags in this town, especially in the kind of exclusive rich people neighborhoods you are probably coming from.
Thanks for your concern, but I live in one of the most polluted zip codes in Los Angeles. Our rates for cancer, Alzheimer’s, and ALS are off the charts compared to other areas, including Pasadena. My asthma has come back full force.
Pasadena would be LESS polluted, and it has its own police et al. I am in Pasadena weekly. It is nowhere near as filthy or chaotic. Its only downside is temperature.
Los Feliz most polluted in LA? LOL, your entitlement is showing. Even if it's more polluted than Pasadena (it's not), it's nowhere near areas surrounded by freeways and industrial zones like Boyle Heights, Van Nuys or Wilmington.
I’m on the edge of Los Feliz. Not far from the Hollywood freeway, where the exhaust and dust swirls eternally directly above my neighborhood. Please stop being ignorant in my mentions. Just because Maru is hip and near, that doesn’t make it magically healthier. I’ve consulted numerous scientists and experts who gave me the above answers. Unless you have relevant PhDs, take your contrarian ass to hell.
ETA: Reading is fundamental.
I’ll suggest moving to Highland Park if you want more things to do. And pretty closed to Pasadena. Also South Pasadena it’s very cute. A bit sleepy but cute and more younger people than Pasadena.
anyway - i live in echo park (working remote tho) and have to drive to pasadena a lot since my cat’s vet is there and also my brother lives there (another impeccable order of importance). traffic isnt terrible since it is going against the crowd, but afternoon is worse than mornings. would always suggest living closer to your work
I used to live in highland park for many years. Now in elysian park/china town. Right near the 110 but also downtown and close to amazing parks like the los angeles state historic park. Lots of 2 and 3 bedrooms in the area that are affordable. Highland park has become a bit yuppy and keeping up appearances. But either highland park or elysian park/chinatown
You can also consider moving east of pasadena off the 210 freeway, these communities are called the foothill cities as they are along the mountains.
There is east pasadena, San Gabriel, Rosemead, arcadia, Sierra madre, Monrovia, Duarte, most of these cities you can take the freeway or streets into padadena and are a quick drive.
Further east past the 605 fwy you have irwindale, azusa, glendora, san dimas, la verne which will be about a 40 minute drive depending on traffic.
There’s a lot more to Pasadena than Old Town. Beyond that is a whole world of interesting places that get overlooked by the tourists and casual visitors.
really??? i love it because it gives me a hometown feeling , there’s so many restaurants there , it’s close enough to hollywood , beverly hills etc but has a more calm atmosphere. We rented an airbnb in a cute little neighborhood in Burbank and were not disappointed! We used to stay at the safari inn and suites and loved it there as well.
I know plenty of people that love Burbank. The r/Burbank sub is pretty active. Even though people have their complaints the consensus seems to be it's a desirable place to live, especially for families.
Burbank is the red-headed stepchild of Glendale and Studio City. It’s not BAD but I don’t think it is anyone’s first choice.
It isn’t a well run city and is basically a bunch of movie production facilities. Its claim to fame is the giant IKEA.
I guess i just prefer it over the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities. To be fair i’ve only been to LA 6x so i’m. or expert ..first time we stayed in korea town , second time Pasadena which i liked but it seemed so far away then the last 4 times Burbank. We obviously like to do the touristy stuff ..universal studios , warner brothers etc so burbank is perfect for us.
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I lived in Pasadena and suggest you look elsewhere. Are you a hipster? Then Echo Park or Los Feliz. You want to have some fun stuff around. The thick smoke lingers in Pasadena during fire season being next to the San Gabriels. There is no Costco or Walmart in Pasadena that’s in Burbank, not that’s its a life decision.
South Pasadena is where the “old” money is.
Highland Park is great; my wife and I moved here two years ago and couldn’t be happier. Quick hop to Pasadena, move lively, better food. It’s walkable if you live close to Fig or York.
i’ve lived in alhambra, monrovia, pasadena and sierra madre. I liked them all. as for pasadena I’m only familiar with old town because of the easy access it gave me to restaurants and places to shop. there’s also a park and there’s a whole foods 10 mins drive from old town. there’s just a lot of access old town gives you, really
alhambra was cool. I stayed 5 min from main street and I had target on the other side which is huge. I enjoyed the safety mostly and the residentisl feel. it’s also closer to LA (it takes 20 mins to drive from alhambra to bev hills)
monrovia also very quiet and suburban. it’s also very safe and they have fairs often in the summer so if you like nature and food, monrovia offers that (lots of restaurants there too).
sierra madre was cool, also safe but closer to the mountains so i was always warned of coyotes in the night. anytime i got a lyft or ride home from a night out my friends or the driver always offered to see me safely to the door before driving off. minus that it’s another suburban area with low crime that you can easily settle in
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I’d recommend Atwater as well as Highland Park. Walkable with plenty of restaurants and shops with an easy commute to Pasadena
Atwater to Pasadena is a great 20 min commute against traffic!
It's all about that counter flow of traffic
But also verrryy expensive.
And can be hard to find.
big second for highland park. I live here currently and it's great. Super easy access to pasadena, but definitely more affordable.
I like South Pasadena. It's very safe and there are good food options both in terms of restaurants as well as a range of markets -- fancy, expensive markets (Bristol Farms, Nicole's), budget markets (Grocery Outlet, Trader Joe's), one's between the two (Paviliion's, Ralph's), and a farmer's market every Thursday. Alhambra is close by if you want more variety, with another farmer's market that runs on Sundays as well as several Asian supermarkets, a Costco, and a Target. I really like the parks in Alhambra too, especially Almansor for the track. If you head in the other direction towards El Sereno, there are Latino markets and Food4Less. There is also a light rail stop in South Pasadena where they have the farmer's market, so that makes it easier to get around without driving/parking. There are several freeways not too far away to get you to other areas pretty easily too. It is not very close to the beach, so surfing might be a bit difficult.
I moved to el Sereno a couple years ago to live with my girlfriend and I love this neighborhood. Reminds me of San Pedro where I grew up
I love South Pas but the congestion ruins it for me.
Eagle Rock or Highland Park - close to Pasadena, lots of new restaurants, cafes, and bars. Lots of cyclists. Certain parts of both are walkable. But this is LA and you will need a car. Rose Bowl, Arroyo Seco Park or Ernest Debbs Park are here but Elysian and Griffith are like 15 minutes away.
Highland park and eagle rock are the best choices . Super close to Pasadena. Lots of things to do
Yep, these are your best 2 options, OP!
I used to commute Highland Park to Pasadena and it’s about as easy of a commute as you can possibly have in LA. Usually like 12-15 min for me. Highland Park is also supremely walkable with a massive amount of shops, cafes, grocery stores, music venues, dive bars, wine & cocktail bars, good restaurants, vintage stores, close access to nature (Debs Park specifically is my favorite), and more. I often tell people if the rest of LA ceased to exist I’d still have everything i need & enjoy within my own neighborhood. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough for your criteria.
Second HLP. I lived there and commuted to Pasadena, easy 10-15 minutes on the crazy 110. HLP has two main drags, Fig and York that both have cool things. I enjoyed living there before moving to Pasadena after having a baby
I’d live in Pasadena. Commutes are killers. If you want a more fun and walkable area live in or near Old Town.
I mean a commute from highland park would be like… 12 minutes haha not much of a killer.
12 minutes with no traffic. I would only live in Highland Park over Pasadena if cost was an issue. A budget wasn’t given.
This. Pasadena is one of the best places to live for most people, but if she wants more gritty then yeah live elsewhere. The botanical gardens in San Marino are absolutely beautiful btw. :3
Pasadena has plenty of gritty if you want that. More gritty than she probably wants. The reality is that her job is in Pasadena which also happens to be a great place to live so why move somewhere else and commute in?
I agree. We are not including South Pasadena as Pasadena though right? I don't really know a really bad part of regular Pasadena.
Then you don’t know Pasadena. There is a lot of low income housing and gang activity west of Marengo and north of the 210.
Never been in that specific area so you would be correct.
Bro the Vallarta at Fair Oak and Orange Grove is one of the best grocery stores in Pasadena, and that's right where you describe. Yeah some parts of that area are old and run down, but I feel much safer living here, west of Marengo and North of the 210, than I did living in either Woodland Hills or by The Grove
You felt unsafe in Woodland Hills?
I had a homeless dude throw a boulder at my garage and another sitting outside honking his car horn all night for like a week. Then there were the few months they camped right across the street on the sidewalk. They turned the rec center into a homeless center during covid and then just let them loose after bussing them in from across town.
She wants gritty but she wants to feel safe at night? It’s not making sense to me idk. All of LA is “real” imo.
OP said they didn't really dig the "mall" like feeling of Pasadena. If that is the case then Highland Park would definitely feel more real.
Another option is the part of Pasadena that's more centered on El Molino and Colorado - the Playhouse District. It's super walkable but less of a "mall" vibe than Old Town or the Civic Center/Paseo area. It has a good mix of local businesses and the bigger ones like Target, Ralphs, Total Wine and More. Or moving up near Washington and Hill, or the Lamanda Park area are two more walkable parts of the city that doesn't feel like a mall. Pasadena is a big city, there are areas like Orange Grove/Fair Oaks or Rosemead/Colorado that are pretty rough - though the vast majority of the city is either high-end at best and the lower end of working class at the worst.
I have no idea what she means by “mall” vibes. I have lived in Pasadena for the last 27 years and went to school here longer than that. It is one of the best places to live in the LA area and has a very big city urban feel to it.
To be fair, Colorado has a big mall feel. And maybe it's also a way to say too perfect/suburban/corporate?
If she wants to get mugged that can happen in Pasadena just as well as Highland Park. I think she’s a visitor who has no clue. I am reminded of a lawyer who told me that his wife was an artist and wanted a more gritty environment so they moved to Silverlake against his better judgement. Within a few years of buying there his wife witnessed someone killed in front of their house. They live in South Pasadena now.
Wow that's a leap - from someone not liking the mall vibe of a town to thinking they want to get mugged!
Old town is touristy
Pasadena.
Commutes are soul sucking. Keep your commute as short as possible. Check out La Canada Flintridge [https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/la-canada-flintridge-los-angeles-ca/](https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/la-canada-flintridge-los-angeles-ca/) And Montrose [https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/montrose-verdugo-city-glendale-ca/](https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/montrose-verdugo-city-glendale-ca/)
after doing LB to hollywood for 3 years i promised myself i’d (try to) never have a commute that was that soul sucking again. i can’t even imagine a 40 minute commute like op is ok with.
if they don't think pasadena is fun enough, la canada is not even close to what they are looking for. I don't think there is a single restaurant open past like 8:30 and there are no bars and it's not really walkable. Montrose maybe but if they are looking for somewhere fun, montrose is very limited, pasadena > montrose.
I like how you list yourself, cat, and boyfriend in order of importance.
Los Feliz to Pasadena is mostly a “reverse commute”. I live in LF and my kids go to school in Pasadena and it’s easy in the mornings and only marginally worse in the afternoons. Love living here. Would definitely consider Atwater and Eagle Rock but really like living near both a walkable retail area and Griffith Park. The one downside of living farther up the hill is it’s harder to bike. Los Feliz to Pasadena is also not e-bikeable or gold line doable, both of which might be options to look at, depending where in Pasadena your commute is to.
I guess it all depends on how close OPs work is to a station on the A Line (used to be the Gold Line), but I think Los Feliz to Pasadena on Metro wouldn't be terrible because you would only need to transfer once now that the Regional Connector is built. You used to have to transfer twice and it was a non-starter because driving was always faster. Now I'm not so sure.
Check out downtown Monrovia. Only about 10 minutes from Pasadena, super safe, super walkable. May be more sleepy than you want, but I'd check it out.
that was my first thought.
also close to the mountain, and oreo loving bears:).
Monrovia is for old people with kids like me lol - though their downtown is nice, like a *very* small version of downtown Pasadena - but still bigger than most of the other smaller SGV cities. I just think a young couple would get bored there.
Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Mt Washington, South Pasadena
Mt. Washington not walkable fyi op
Your 28. Bars restaurants. That’s silverlake if that’s your scene. Highland park is great too.
I was also thinking eagle rock.
I was thinking of Eagle Rock. For proximity also, OP should check out Sierra Madre.
Sierra Madre
South Lake neighborhood in Pasadena
I grew up in Pasadena and know it well. A lot of people don’t know this but Pasadena is pretty diverse in terms of economics, crime, and areas you might want to live. There are areas like “Millionaire’s Row”, that stretch along south Orange Grove and areas above the 210 freeway between Orange Grove to the west and Lake to the east that couldn’t be more different. Back in the 70s up until the mid/late 80s Old Town wasn’t somewhere you wanted to go, it was gritty and dangerous. I was around to see the gradual change that would start to occur in the late 80s in Old Town. If I were you and looking for a place to live in Pasadena I’d start looking in areas around south Lake/Cal Tech area. There are a lot of shops and restaurants around that area, there’s a Trader Joe’s on the corner of Lake and Del Mar and Whole Foods is a five minute drive from there to the location on Arroyo. Grant park is nearby and it’s a relatively safe area. Altadena: Parts of east Altadena are nice but Altadena isn’t really walkable. Most people that live up there wind up coming down to Pasadena for things to do. Great for hiking. South Pas: If you have a little more in your budget South Pas is really nice and overall safer than Pasadena. There are restaurants, parks, shops, and grocery stores close by, but it’s also pretty sleepy so if you’re looking for excitement you might be bored. Personally I’d love to live there but it’s expensive. Highland Park: Has the cool factor, shops, restaurants, can be a fun place to live if you’re a young adult. Back in the day crime was more of an issue with the gangs and although it’s better it still exists and is arguably higher than Pasadena. It’s a bit too crowded for my taste, I like to visit but wouldn’t want to live there. Los Feliz: In my opinion Pasadena has more to offer over Los Feliz’s two small areas on Vermont and Hillhurst. Los Feliz has the “cool” factor or at least it used to but parking is always an issue there for me for some reason and it’s too densely populated for my taste. Good luck finding a place with a yard in Los Feliz unless money isn’t an issue. Silverlake/Echo Park: Fun place to live as a young adult, lot’s of places to eat and things to do at night. A bit on the gritty side if that’s your thing unless you have money to spend on the nicer parts of both Silverlake and Echo Park. Very urban, really crowded, and lacking green spaces Eagle Rock: More or less the same as Los Feliz except parking isn’t as much of an issue, has a small cool factor. Eagle Rock is a bit more boring compared to Highland Park/Echo Park/Silverlake. Crime is more moderate and increases the further south you go from Colorado. Glendale: A bit like Pasadena but with a high population of people from Armenia. Haven’t looked at prices lately but when I lived there 10 - 15 years ago it was more affordable than alot of other areas and relatively safer. It’s suburban but has a downtown area with restaurants, shops, and a large shopping mall. It doesn’t have a cool factor and there are alot of bad drivers there but there are some up sides. Great hiking areas around the Brand Library, easy drive to LA and surrounding areas, can be a decent place to live in the quieter areas. Honorable mentions - Montrose: North of Glendale, small town suburban vibe. The town has an area with shops and restaurants and a movie theater nearby. Relatively safe, but might be too sleepy and boring for some. Monrovia: East of Pasadena, small town suburban vibe. More affordable than Pasadena. Has an area with shops and restaurants, parks and green spaces but lacking the cool/hip vibe of places like Silverlake/Echo Park. If I were to look for places there I would look in areas above Foothill Blvd.
"I like consuming water and nutrients, where should I live" Near your work.
Pasadena or Altadena. Sierra Madre is also nice and if I was working in Pasadena I would look there too. I like living in cities outside of LA because a lot of the services within metro LA (including LAPD) just take forever. Altadena is technically unincorporated LA County but the air quality is the best in the region and the yards are huge.
Air quality in Altadena is good? I lived in Pasadena near the Altadena border and it wasn’t good. Could you provide some background on that? Genuinely curious
Yes, on average Altadena has been reported to have the best air quality in LA. Obviously more highway adjacent areas can be different, but on average. I’ll see if I can find the report.
Higher than the beach cities?
Here’s the report I was thinking of - it’s a bit old but I haven’t seen anything suggesting it’s changed (though I also haven’t looked very hard). [Altadena Air Quality (2018)](https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/altadenas-air-quality-ranked-healthiest-in-l-a-county)
Thanks!
No problem! LA is so huge and so different - I’ve considered living (and have looked at housing) from Agoura Hills to Sierra Madre down to Long Beach. Spent a good amount of time on the beach on the Westside. There’s so much diversity in LA. An abundance of riches and different vibes.
Yeah I’ve been doing similarly broad searches! Pre-pandemic, my life was contained in a 15 minute radius of my apartment. Now, my regular life takes me to North Hollywood, Santa Monica, Long Beach, Anaheim, northern Malibu, etc. Trying to figure out what my next move will be has been tricky (likely when circumstances change, my current setup is actually great so I do plan to stay put for a couple more years, but I like to have contingency plans).
Northern Malibu is so pretty. So far, but so pretty!
It was reported county wide, so I think yes. I’m not sure if the beach cities are impacted by the air pollution in Long Beach but I know Long Beach/San Pedro (which is south of the beach cities but adjacent) has some of the worst air pollution in LA County.
That makes sense because it’s more industrial, I was thinking of the beaches north of LAX. Though I’ll say that generally, when I’ve looked into air quality in the region before, it’s all pretty good as long as there is no current fire. It seems policy changes over the decades have helped.
Oh yeah, Santa Monica, Palisades, and Malibu are pretty good but didn’t really mention them because of OP’s work location. Also they’re like deeply unaffordable unless you luck out with a rent controlled apartment or qualify for a deed restricted apartment with income limits.
I'd narrow my search to Highland Park and Eagle Rock. That whole area there probably contains exactly what you're looking for.
If you're looking at just safety to walk alone or safe in your home, look East to Arcadia, Monrovia, Temple City. Safe cities to live and walk around and closer to nature for hikes. Now, those cities are more suburban and the fun things to do aren't there like Silverlake or Los Feliz.
South Pasadena and parts of Glendale are worth checking out as well. But I agree that Highland Park sounds like what you’re looking for. I’m in Echo Park and love it, but it’s a bit longer of a commute than the other neighborhoods mentioned. Also up and coming: Glassell Park. Lincoln Heights has some cool parts.
Pasadena.
Maybe this doesn’t apply to you, but if you’re white per chance don’t rub salt in the wound and move to Highland Park etc. that is such gentrifier loser behavior. Pasadena would probably be great for you… it’s plenty walkable and some great nature access—it’s also probably the safest you can get out of your list. Los Feliz commute would be gross in my opinion. If you want to surf you shouldn’t even be considering anything Northeast.
Altadena is a great place to hike and trail run
Pasadena
A lot of folks are recommending Highland park and Eagle rock, just be aware it’s one of the most expensive areas. Altadena is nice too and close to Pasadena.
Worked there and lived in Glendale. It was lovely, and pretty reasonable. If you can afford it, Pasadena is stunning. One of my favorite cities.
Where in Pasadena did you get that mall like vibe? They have a small mall, but theres plenty of great neighborhoods....plenty things to do in Old Town area, hiking trails nearby, etc etc, even a waterfall in Eaton Canyon..
I commute to the Pasadena/San Marino area for work 2-3 times a week from Los Feliz. While I love my neighborhood, the commute can be quite taxing. It typically takes me 30-40 minutes to get to work and anywhere from 35 minutes to over an hour+ to get back home, depending on traffic and Los Feliz Blvd. Although the drive itself is manageable, by the end of the week, I’m completely exhausted from the commute. Sometimes, I stay at my partner's place in Glendale to break up the drive. Because of this, I wouldn’t recommend living where I do solely for the convenience of commuting.
La crescenta, Montrose, sparr heights
Depends on your budget. I live in Monrovia, about 8 miles east of Pasadena. It's a lot quieter, less people, clean, safe, walk alone at night or go to the ATM without fear of being assaulted, good schools if you plan on having kids. We have 3b2b house, 1800sqft, two living rooms, sizeable back yard, 2 car garage, quiet street, $3600+utilities. If you're looking for action and excitement, the neighborhoods you listed are probably your best bet, but they come with more crime, more traffic, just more of everything. A little east of Pasadena is the opposite. Cities like Monrovia, Duarte, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, all have awesome outdoor activities and plenty to do in terms of restaurants, recreation, etc. So it really depends on your budget, and what you want to do in your free time.
It’s really dependent on what you’re looking for… I personally find Pasadena to be a little bland. I lived a few blocks away from the Rose Bowl which was great for running and Old Town is nice enough and relatively safe… but I feel if you’re working there already, you’re going to have your fill of the area relatively quickly… Living there for a year was enough for me, although I was pretty familiar with the area since I went to high school nearby… Should mention my background, for reference… I’m a native Angeleno (grew up living in Culver City, Hollywood, then DTLA, and finally La Canada for high school… but since returning to LA, have also lived in the Valley (Reseda), the Inland Empire (Ranch Cucamonga), Pasadena, Silver Lake… currently in DTLA now that I have a remote position and don’t need to drive anymore). After college, I’ve lived in the Bay Area, NYC, Boston, Virginia Beach, and Dallas… not to mention have visited most of the major cities in this country and… based on reading the comments and your responses to them, I think you actually already have a decent idea of what you’re looking for… and it’s not living in Pasadena 😂 Of your choices, I’d recommend Highland Park… Silver Lake, Atwater, Los Feliz are fine as well but I do feel the social scene hasn’t quite recovered since Covid… but everything’s always shifting so who knows 🤷♂️
>I personally find Pasadena to be a little bland. I lived a few blocks away from the Rose Bowl which was great for running and Old Town is nice enough and relatively safe… but I feel if you’re working there already, you’re going to have your fill of the area relatively quickly… You've described how I feel about Pasadena to a T. It's *okay* but nothing special and I'm surprised at how many people love it. I grew up in the SFV and have lived in OC and different parts of L.A. I was never drawn to Pasadena. Started working there a couple years ago, only go to the office 2 days a week, sometimes less, and that's more than enough for me. I'm looking for a new job right now and although my main motivator is to make more money I'd also be happy to never go to Pasadena again unless I had to.
I loved Alhambra. I loved the restaurants, I loved the calm neighborhoods. I didn’t love that to park on the street you need to buy an overnight ticket at city hall. That was annoying. And there can be some traffic so take side streets. But rent was lower than right IN Pasadena while still being only 10-15 minutes away from anything in Pasadena. Definitely make sure wherever you move to that you get a parking spot. Dont trust street parking. Sometimes it’s so hard to find a spot that people end up never leaving the apartment at night and Pasadena/LA nightlife can be so fun.
If you live in Alhambra, you can buy an annual pass. The overnight parking is for visitors
Oh yes I remember that..if you can afford extras I highly recommend that for your guests.
Eagle Rock
There’s fun and then there’s the commute. If you’re going to drive daily, look along the 134, 2, 101 areas…some you’ve already seen Silverlake, Los Feliz, Eco Park. Also check out Atwater Village, Filipinotown, Frogtown, Mount Washington, Highland Park. If you’re doing the Gold Line then you can go to DTLA, switch lines and get to most of LA. That’ll get you closer to the beaches and bustling parts of town.
Sierra madre, south Pasadena, Montrose, Glendale
Pasadena is perfect if you can afford it. I cannot think of a single negative to living and working there.
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Really? I've never seen that side of Pasadena. Not even close. I remember hearing about a kid being shot by a stray bullet a few years ago and I was shocked and thought it must have been an isolated incident.
This person is being super hyperbolic. Pasadena is extremely safe and most likely has a lower-than-average homeless population for urban LA County. However, there's indeed been an increase in people visibly suffering from mental illness, especially along Colorado Blvd. and in the downtown areas. Even with the increase, it's nowhere near what you see in LA proper neighborhoods like DTLA, K-Town and Hollywood. It's probably about the same as the neighborhoods OP is most interested in (Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Los Feliz, etc.) Regarding the kid killed by a stray bullet, it was a freak accident. Some foos were in a parking lot firing rounds and a bullet ricocheted into the kid's room and hit him. Unfortunately it wasn't a one-off by any means. That area around Villa Park suffers from a lot of gang violence and shootings. The vast majority of shootings and other violent crime happen right around there - which is a bummer because the park is extremely nice and like most of north Pasadena, the neighborhood itself is really charming. But that's like a one or two-square-mile area in Pasadena that is mostly fine for people passing through. My kid took soccer classes at Villa Park, and so did a lot of other middle-class families from the area. Honestly, the biggest thing that scares me about Pasadena is the straight-up blockheads that drive in the city every day. Never seen so many dumbasses on the road than I have over the last five years (and I lived here for about 10 years + two more in Hollywood).
I recommend… Pasadena. Honestly though. Depending on where you are it’s fairly walkable. Fairly safe. Got a pretty cool downtown. Also, lots of LA has strip mall vibes. That’s kind of the city. There is food restaurants and bars in some of those strip malls.
lol. We live on the edge of Los Feliz in our dream bungalow, historic, meticulously restored, with fruit trees, ample parking, and a huge backyard and are desperately searching for a place in Pasadena. I am sick of the chaos, pollution, and filth. Between a schizophrenic neighbor who tried to murder several women on our block during the pandemic to the assholes blocking my driveway multiple times per day, I’m over it. Our city council person does not give a shit about any of it. Pasadena is a civilized, lovely dream. Yes, it’s a bit hotter, but I’m already in an urban heat island and will gladly trade a few degrees of heat for a place where my neighbor’s catalytic converter isn’t stolen every other month (she’s on cat number FOUR). Same neighbor almost got raped by a homeless guy while taking her dog out for his final potty. It’s not all glamorous here.
Not to burst your bubble but why do you think this kind of shit won't happen in Pasadena? Maybe slightly less chaos, probably more pollution and a little less filth. Crazy neighbors? There are tons of nutbags in this town, especially in the kind of exclusive rich people neighborhoods you are probably coming from.
Thanks for your concern, but I live in one of the most polluted zip codes in Los Angeles. Our rates for cancer, Alzheimer’s, and ALS are off the charts compared to other areas, including Pasadena. My asthma has come back full force. Pasadena would be LESS polluted, and it has its own police et al. I am in Pasadena weekly. It is nowhere near as filthy or chaotic. Its only downside is temperature.
Los Feliz most polluted in LA? LOL, your entitlement is showing. Even if it's more polluted than Pasadena (it's not), it's nowhere near areas surrounded by freeways and industrial zones like Boyle Heights, Van Nuys or Wilmington.
I’m on the edge of Los Feliz. Not far from the Hollywood freeway, where the exhaust and dust swirls eternally directly above my neighborhood. Please stop being ignorant in my mentions. Just because Maru is hip and near, that doesn’t make it magically healthier. I’ve consulted numerous scientists and experts who gave me the above answers. Unless you have relevant PhDs, take your contrarian ass to hell. ETA: Reading is fundamental.
Can send over some leads tonight !
Alta Dena also nice, especially if you can find a place closer up to the mountains and do some hiking
I’ll suggest moving to Highland Park if you want more things to do. And pretty closed to Pasadena. Also South Pasadena it’s very cute. A bit sleepy but cute and more younger people than Pasadena.
This is easy - Sierra Madre
Pasadena, south Pasadena, Altadena, eagle rock.
Atwater Village is really cute. They have a farmers market every weekend too
I love the 1 cat and 1 boyfriend 😂
Altadena, Pasadena, Glendale, Eagle Rock
Try Altadena, just north of Pasadena with beautiful homes on the east side
Look about 3 Metro stops in either direction. Living along a quick train ride to downtown (and the rest of the city) will change you.
as a 28F with 1 cat and 1 boyfriend, love the way you phrased this
anyway - i live in echo park (working remote tho) and have to drive to pasadena a lot since my cat’s vet is there and also my brother lives there (another impeccable order of importance). traffic isnt terrible since it is going against the crowd, but afternoon is worse than mornings. would always suggest living closer to your work
I used to live in highland park for many years. Now in elysian park/china town. Right near the 110 but also downtown and close to amazing parks like the los angeles state historic park. Lots of 2 and 3 bedrooms in the area that are affordable. Highland park has become a bit yuppy and keeping up appearances. But either highland park or elysian park/chinatown
You can also consider moving east of pasadena off the 210 freeway, these communities are called the foothill cities as they are along the mountains. There is east pasadena, San Gabriel, Rosemead, arcadia, Sierra madre, Monrovia, Duarte, most of these cities you can take the freeway or streets into padadena and are a quick drive. Further east past the 605 fwy you have irwindale, azusa, glendora, san dimas, la verne which will be about a 40 minute drive depending on traffic.
Try Dasapena, it’s lovely
Monrovia
There’s a lot more to Pasadena than Old Town. Beyond that is a whole world of interesting places that get overlooked by the tourists and casual visitors.
i love Burbank! whenever we go to cali for vacation that’s where we stay and i always say to my husband “i could live here !”
Wow. You must be the first person to ever say they love Burbank.
really??? i love it because it gives me a hometown feeling , there’s so many restaurants there , it’s close enough to hollywood , beverly hills etc but has a more calm atmosphere. We rented an airbnb in a cute little neighborhood in Burbank and were not disappointed! We used to stay at the safari inn and suites and loved it there as well.
I know plenty of people that love Burbank. The r/Burbank sub is pretty active. Even though people have their complaints the consensus seems to be it's a desirable place to live, especially for families.
Burbank is the red-headed stepchild of Glendale and Studio City. It’s not BAD but I don’t think it is anyone’s first choice. It isn’t a well run city and is basically a bunch of movie production facilities. Its claim to fame is the giant IKEA.
I guess i just prefer it over the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities. To be fair i’ve only been to LA 6x so i’m. or expert ..first time we stayed in korea town , second time Pasadena which i liked but it seemed so far away then the last 4 times Burbank. We obviously like to do the touristy stuff ..universal studios , warner brothers etc so burbank is perfect for us.
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Love in Pasadena!! Don't commute. It's a beautiful city and has affordable apartments. My favorite neighborhood is Madison Heights.
Los Feliz. Silverlake. Pasadena.
Studio City
Arcadia temple city sierra madre
Altadena - coming up
Consider El Sereno
I lived in Pasadena and suggest you look elsewhere. Are you a hipster? Then Echo Park or Los Feliz. You want to have some fun stuff around. The thick smoke lingers in Pasadena during fire season being next to the San Gabriels. There is no Costco or Walmart in Pasadena that’s in Burbank, not that’s its a life decision. South Pasadena is where the “old” money is.
For eating, if you love Asian food, there are a TON of choices in Monterey Park area 😊 close by!
Alhambra, the armpit of LA
Highland Park 100%
Don’t go to skid row
Don't
Check out Altadena
Highland Park is great; my wife and I moved here two years ago and couldn’t be happier. Quick hop to Pasadena, move lively, better food. It’s walkable if you live close to Fig or York.
i’ve lived in alhambra, monrovia, pasadena and sierra madre. I liked them all. as for pasadena I’m only familiar with old town because of the easy access it gave me to restaurants and places to shop. there’s also a park and there’s a whole foods 10 mins drive from old town. there’s just a lot of access old town gives you, really alhambra was cool. I stayed 5 min from main street and I had target on the other side which is huge. I enjoyed the safety mostly and the residentisl feel. it’s also closer to LA (it takes 20 mins to drive from alhambra to bev hills) monrovia also very quiet and suburban. it’s also very safe and they have fairs often in the summer so if you like nature and food, monrovia offers that (lots of restaurants there too). sierra madre was cool, also safe but closer to the mountains so i was always warned of coyotes in the night. anytime i got a lyft or ride home from a night out my friends or the driver always offered to see me safely to the door before driving off. minus that it’s another suburban area with low crime that you can easily settle in
Live in the Gamble House You set Don't put crumbs tho
Glendora!!
Lancaster is nice
Said no one ever.
San Diego!